Dispenser



J. H. DU BOIS Sept. 4, 1956 DISPENSER ll zlllralzrllllll 5 5 115 I; l/IIIIFIIIl/l I! llllrr/llr/llzll Filed June 7, 1952 INVENTOR JOHN H. DUBOIS Ewflflzaw ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPENSER John H. Du Bois, Montclair, N. .L, assignor to Plax Corporafion, West Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1952, Serial No. 292,296

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-211) The present invention relates to dispensers for liquids and more particularly to dispensers of the type which are used to dispense soap, detergents and the like and which normally are maintained in an invert position with the discharge outlet located in the lowermost part of the .de'

vice.

It has been found that such dispensers may leak or drip when a rise in the ambient or room temperature effects an increase in the pressure within the devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the type indicated from which the liquid content may be controllably discharged and which does not leak or drip when discharge is not wanted.

A further object is to provide an improved and simplified dispenser having a minimum of components which may be readily operated and refilled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention which is shown in the accompanying drawing by an elevation view in crosssection.

As there shown, the dispenser includes a bottle or similar container, generally designated 1, having an openmouth neck 2 in which a plug 3 having a discharge outlet 4 is suitably secured as by a press or friction fit. The plug 3 is removable for filling and refilling the bottle with liquid soap, detergent or other liquid product to be controllably dispensed therefrom.

Preferably, the dispenser is supported in an inverted position by a wall bracket 5 or similar holder as, for example, by means of a screw thread engagement of the bottle neck 2 with the bracket 5. However, it should be understood that other means of removably securing the discharge orifice member 3 to the bottle neck 2 and the dispenser to the bracket 5 or other holder may be employed if desired.

Preferably the bottle 1 is formed of polyethylene or other plastic material which may be manually squeezed and which, when squeezing pressure is relieved, resumes and retains its original shape.

With such a manually collapsible container, discharge of a desired portion of the contents, such as liquid soap, detergent, or the like, is effected merely by squeezing and collapsing the container 1 sufliciently for the increased pressure of the air thereby compressed in the container to force liquid from the outlet 4. The amount of discharge is readily controlled by the amount of squeeze pressure exerted on the bottle.

As is apparent from the drawing, the flow of the discharged liquid is through a bent or U-tube 6, the discharge end 7 of which is tightly secured in the discharge outlet 4 of the plug 3. Inlet end 8 of the tube preferably is located in the well of the plug 3 so that it remains im- 2,761,590 Patented Sept. 4, 1956 mersed as long as appreciable liquid content remains in the dispenser.

In accordance with the invention, the only path from the container for the liquid content is through the entire length of the tube 6. Substantial collapse of the con tainer must be effected in order to build up suflicient internal air pressure to fill the tube with liquid. Only after the tube is filled is the internal pressure effective to discharge a portion of the liquid content from the outlet 4. When collapsing pressure is relieved, the bottle 1 resumes its original shape and atmospheric pressure drives the liquid still in the tube 6 back into the bottle through the inlet end 8 and, thereafter, enough air enters through the tube 6 to establish atmospheric pressure within the bottle.

It will be apparent that by making the tube 6 suificiently long, leakage due to customary increasing in room or ambient temperature and the resulting increases in the pressure within the container, are avoided.

Preferably, the tubing 6 has a fine bore so that when collapsing pressure on the bottle is relieved, the air intake thoroughly scavenges the liquid from the bore.

Where the bottle 1 is so small that a U-tube 6 of sulficient length to prevent leakage under the encountered change of temperature range, the tube 6 may be coiled or otherwise shaped so that a longer total length may be located in the bottle.

The invention also contemplates providing the inlet leg of the tube with a bulging reservoir portion 9 of substantially greater diameter and capacity for its length than a like length of the tube proper. The reservoir 9 must be filled to capacity before liquid is forced through the remainder of the tube and out of the discharge outlet 4. Consequently, the dispenser can be subjected to a very substantial temperature change without danger of leakage or drippage.

While the bottle 1 preferably is collapsible, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in a rigid container having a bulb, plunger or other means for compressing the internal air and effecting discharge through the tube 6.

Other changes and modifications may be made in the construction and mode of operation of the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A liquid dispensing container which has a resilient portion which resiliently collapses when manually squeezed and which resumes its original shape when the squeeze pressure is relieved, a removable closure for said container, and a U-tube open only at its ends and having an inlet leg and an outlet leg, the outlet leg of said tube having a discharge end normally providing the sole outlet from the container and the inlet leg having an inlet end located adjacent said outlet end and opening into the container, said inlet leg including an enlargement constituting a reservoir portion, the remaining portion of the tube being of smaller, generally uniform cross-section area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 155,607 Gallaudet Oct. 6, 1874 336,072 Shafler Feb. 9, 1886 702,070 Paul June 10, 1902 1,576,207 Mummery Mar. 9, 1926 1,573,334 Thomas Feb. 16, 1926 1,735,784 Olson Nov. 12, 1929 

